Grump's Gassy Cream Cake Grow 🌱

[Observer]

thats awesome though lol nice man

 

[steamroller]

OK so you have a TDS meter?
TDS can be converted to EC.

TDS Converter Calculator - Pure Aqua, Inc.

Pure Aqua features a TDS Converter Calculator for users to determine the degree of tds in their water supply. Contact us today to learn more!

pureaqua.com

MG/L can be converted to PPM also.

Convert Grams Per Milliliter to Parts Per Million (g/ml to ppm) | JustinTOOLs.com

Convert Grams Per Milliliter to Parts Per Million (g/ml in ppm). Grams Per Milliliter and Parts Per Million both are the units of DENSITY. See the charts and tables conversion here!

www.justintools.com

With no numbers I would install my RO before the softener.
Over 500 TDS is not drinkable in most places.

My municipal water is 350+ which is/was highest of most fish heads.
RO will not get you zero without DI which is the most expensive and quickest to be used up in the system.
My 350 went to 20 without DI.
Your cheapest quality filters will probably be found at Bulk Reef Supplies [fish guys not grow guys].

 

[Aqua Man]

We had the water tested and it passed and is safe to drink, but the results were a little confusing. They didn't use ppm and I haven't done the conversions.
View attachment 77834
View attachment 77835


I've read and heard the opposite. The hard water is supposedly harder on the RO membrane affecting it's lifespan so it's recommended to be installed after a softener.

I realize this is AI but this is what I'm being told when I Google "RO before or after softener"
View attachment 77833


Not just ONE room. Hopefully THREE. A water/lung room, a veg room and a flower room. I'm so pumped to finally have the space in what I'm considering my forever home.

Mg/L is ppm

 

[Aqua Man]

With your water report its high in sulphur and massively high in sodium and low in mg and cal. To me that water looks like its already softened to a point because that sodium level and the low cal and mg while retaining the high sulphur. A softener is not goong to help you IMO.

If you want to double check call a water company. But im about 90%+ your water is already being softened

 

[GrumpAzz]

With your water report its high in sulphur and massively high in sodium and low in mg and cal. To me that water looks like its already softened to a point because that sodium level and the low cal and mg while retaining the high sulphur. A softener is not goong to help you IMO.

If you want to double check call a water company. But im about 90%+ your water is already being softened

Oh absolutely. Sorry for the confusion, but I do have a softener. That test was from the kitchen faucet. The well wasn't tested, to my knowledge.

We do get a lot of Sulphur in the water though, sometimes worse than others. It's part of living in this area.

I'll be breaking out the grow stuff this evening to get the tent set up, but I'll have to tie into the line coming out of the wall before I can see where my well water sits ppm wise. The pipe comes right out of the wall and into my resin tank from the softener system. I admittedly haven't looked into it much just yet. I've been a lazy bones after the move.

 

[GrumpAzz]

OK so you have a TDS meter?
TDS can be converted to EC.

TDS Converter Calculator - Pure Aqua, Inc.

Pure Aqua features a TDS Converter Calculator for users to determine the degree of tds in their water supply. Contact us today to learn more!

pureaqua.com

MG/L can be converted to PPM also.

Convert Grams Per Milliliter to Parts Per Million (g/ml to ppm) | JustinTOOLs.com

Convert Grams Per Milliliter to Parts Per Million (g/ml in ppm). Grams Per Milliliter and Parts Per Million both are the units of DENSITY. See the charts and tables conversion here!

www.justintools.com

With no numbers I would install my RO before the softener.
Over 500 TDS is not drinkable in most places.

My municipal water is 350+ which is/was highest of most fish heads.
RO will not get you zero without DI which is the most expensive and quickest to be used up in the system.
My 350 went to 20 without DI.
Your cheapest quality filters will probably be found at Bulk Reef Supplies [fish guys not grow guys].

I have a nice 4-stage RO/DI filtration system. It brought my last place's water to 0 from 700+ and I installed it after the softener. The filters lasted to grows which is well over 500 gallons.

I'll be using the filters, I was just curious if it should be installed before or after the resin tank of my softener system, but I think I figured that out.

 

[TomH]

Oh absolutely. Sorry for the confusion, but I do have a softener. That test was from the kitchen faucet. The well wasn't tested, to my knowledge.

We do get a lot of Sulphur in the water though, sometimes worse than others. It's part of living in this area.

I'll be breaking out the grow stuff this evening to get the tent set up, but I'll have to tie into the line coming out of the wall before I can see where my well water sits ppm wise. The pipe comes right out of the wall and into my resin tank from the softener system. I admittedly haven't looked into it much just yet. I've been a lazy bones after the move.

Aqua knows his stuff.

 

[SiamSam]

Hello fellow BudBuilders. This journal will catalog my run towards a fourth harvest. This will be my first attempt at running multiple strains, so here's to hoping both strains have similar needs and behave accordingly

For this run, I'll be sprouting some Blue Dream and some Granddaddy Purp beans from Redbeard's genetics.
View attachment 77729

Let's get down to it

Equipment:
SpiderFarmer 5x5 tent
UnderCurrent 8 gallon 4-site system
CLW SolarSystem 1100 grow light
ACI Controller 69 pro
ACI 6" exhaust fan with refillable carbon filter
ACI 6" inline fan for intake from lung room
ACI CloudForge T7 humidifier
Vornado 1500w space heater
2x ACI CloudRay oscillating fans
2x BlueLab ph/ppm monitors
AquaticLife 4 stage RO/DI system
Active Aqua 1/10hp chiller
Alita 15 lpm air pump
Root Riot grow plugs

Nutrients:
Athena's Blended line
General Hydroponics RapidRooter
Plant Success Orca Liquid Mycorrhizae
Mr. Fulvic organic Fulvic Acid
0ppm RO/DI water

-------

I dropped some beans into some grow plugs a few days ago and, in only 2 days, 2 of the 3 GDP's have sprouted. One of the Blue Dream seeds popped up this morning. They're in an AC Infinity dome/light kit. Once they're healthy and established, I'll move them into 4" netpots with hydroton. This time, I bought some super small hydroton. Nearly small enough to fit through the netpot openings. They'll grow there, in the same dome, until I've chosen 4 winners. After that, into the system they go.

I was lucky enough to get a sample of Athena's Blended line sent to me for free. I went with Lotus' dry nutes last run, but this run will be back to using liquid nutes. $800ish value FO FREEEE
View attachment 77731

First out of the plugs... GDP
View attachment 77730

One of the Blue Dream seeds was trying to push through this morning and hopefully the rest follow suit shortly.

I'll be doing my best to build these 4 plants into 8 cola mainlines following a technique on here by @Jonnyboi84. I love what I've seen from his manifolds and expect to have similar results. I learned a bit from my last run, which I also tried to mainline, but I'll be sticking with my usual mentality of "Wingin' It".

Last grow, I ended up chopping the top off of my tent and I don't plan on fixing it. I'll just extend the walls to my basement ceiling with some thin bubble insulation to keep the environment under control. This gives me a foot or so of extra headroom. Hopefully it's not needed, but the tent was due for repairs nonetheless, might as well "upgrade". I'm hoping this will be my last run in a tent as I plan to build out a room (or two) specifically for plants. Perpetual grows are coming soon.

Thanks for popping in. Feel free to ask some questions and/or dish out some advice. I'm pretty receptive and open to criticism. Wish me luck, folks.

As always,
&

Good things happen to the best people...

 

[GrumpAzz]

I've been terrible with keeping track of time this round. Either way, I feel like last night was 5 days from when I sowed the seeds and only 3 had shown up. Same method that I usually get 100% germination rates in the usual 3 day period, straight into the grow plugs. Different plugs this time, so maybe that's got something to do with it. Either way, only 3 of the 6 have sprouted so I planted a couple more. I don't at all want to scrap this grow cuz I only had 3 pop. I want a full tent. I used all the beans from both packs and have now planted 10 total.

Here's the 3 before sowing the others. GDP on the right and Blue Dream on the left.


These plugs seem more like coco than the spongey material of the previous plugs.

I can only fit 6 netpots under the dome, so the best 6 will be moved to hydroton filled netpots once the roots are really starting to leave the plug. They'll stay like that until either A: the roots are growing out of the netpots, or B: the best 4 are obvious. At that point, into the system they'll go. I have nearly two weeks to get the grow set up including making the tent usable (remember, i no longer have a roof on the tent) and piping the system into the basement plumbing.

 

[GrumpAzz]

Still only 3 seeds have popped so far. 2.5 days on the last batch of 4. Hope to see something tomorrow morning. No new news to report there, otherwise.

BIG NEWS on the tent. It's all set up and sealed. I extended the walls to the basement ceiling with bubble foil insulation and taped all the seams and staples with foil tape. Hopefully it holds up to the humidity. Next step will be getting my fans and equipment in place so I can plan out the wiring. Then the buckets and hydro setup and the plumbing.


I'm pretty proud of this hippy-rigged little setup. Heck yeah!!

 

[steamroller]

Wicked nice with the tent man~!

You have a lot of seeds. How are you storing them?

 

[Stoneyluv]

damn that so high up i got dizzy looking at the photo!!!!!!

awesome work... fyi this duct tape is incredible with holding up to moisture. have some stuck outside for over two years now!

 

[GrumpAzz]

Wicked nice with the tent man~!

You have a lot of seeds. How are you storing them?

They're downstairs in a tupperware in a dresser drawer. I've had these for maybe two months.

I want to assume it's the softened water I'm using. I don't have my RO set up yet. All my previous seeds were popped with RO.

 

[GrumpAzz]

I think the tent is set up how I want it. Totes need cleaned and power needs ran... on to the water side of things.
View attachment Snapchat-590432061.mp4

 

[Observer]

Still only 3 seeds have popped so far. 2.5 days on the last batch of 4. Hope to see something tomorrow morning. No new news to report there, otherwise.

BIG NEWS on the tent. It's all set up and sealed. I extended the walls to the basement ceiling with bubble foil insulation and taped all the seams and staples with foil tape. Hopefully it holds up to the humidity. Next step will be getting my fans and equipment in place so I can plan out the wiring. Then the buckets and hydro setup and the plumbing.
View attachment 78184View attachment 78185

I'm pretty proud of this hippy-rigged little setup. Heck yeah!!

Nice man looks good

I think the tent is set up how I want it. Totes need cleaned and power needs ran... on to the water side of things.
View attachment 78253

Nice bro.

 

[GrumpAzz]

Welp.. again, I've lost track of days, but I'd normally expect to see more action in the Germ Dome at this point. I'm thinking my softened water has really hampered my germination rates this time around. No other explanation. Either way, we've got 3 sprouts out of 10 planted. That's not bueno. I've germed at damn near 100% in all the runs prior.

I'll keep the dome warmed and watered while I work towards getting my water all plumbed. If one more sprout shows up, I've got a full tent.

All that being said, this thread may die in the days to come. I'll get on the plumbing this weekend, hopefully.

 

[steamroller]

Go to a store and get spring water and distilled and get your PPM straight.
Not something you want to do through the entire grow but until you can get your ro up this is survival advice.

 

[Aqua Man]

Welp.. again, I've lost track of days, but I'd normally expect to see more action in the Germ Dome at this point. I'm thinking my softened water has really hampered my germination rates this time around. No other explanation. Either way, we've got 3 sprouts out of 10 planted. That's not bueno. I've germed at damn near 100% in all the runs prior.

I'll keep the dome warmed and watered while I work towards getting my water all plumbed. If one more sprout shows up, I've got a full tent.

All that being said, this thread may die in the days to come. I'll get on the plumbing this weekend, hopefully.

Sodium is terrible for plants over 20ppm.

Have you heard the term salting the earth.? Its what they used to do in war to make sure the crops wouldn’t grow.

The level of sodium in your water is ABSOLUTELY the problem

 

[GrumpAzz]

Go to a store and get spring water and distilled and get your PPM straight.
Not something you want to do through the entire grow but until you can get your ro up this is survival advice.

We have spring water in the fridge...

Sodium is terrible for plants over 20ppm.

Have you heard the term salting the earth.? Its what they used to do in war to make sure the crops wouldn’t grow.

The level of sodium in your water is ABSOLUTELY the problem

I figured. I got a little overzealous with the move and ttheharvest all happening at the same time and just germed some seeds without thinking. 3 popped so I threw 4 more at it.

I'll continue watering with the water we have in the fridge and see what happens. If I don't have another sprout by Sunday, they'll get the axe.

 

[Stoneyluv]

We have spring water in the fridge...


I figured. I got a little overzealous with the move and ttheharvest all happening at the same time and just germed some seeds without thinking. 3 popped so I threw 4 more at it.

I'll continue watering with the water we have in the fridge and see what happens. If I don't have another sprout by Sunday, they'll get the axe.

can you just take the solar salt out of your softener? will it still function and flow without it?

i have hard water but after talking to people with softeners there is no way in hell i would ever have one! i'll deal with my minerals.

 

[GrumpAzz]

can you just take the solar salt out of your softener? will it still function and flow without it?

i have hard water but after talking to people with softeners there is no way in hell i would ever have one! i'll deal with my minerals.

The wife wouldn't want to get rid of it. I'm with you, though. I like well water. Grew up drinking out of farm spickets and windmills. I also hate the slimey feeling when you shower or wash your hands.

 

[Stoneyluv]

I also hate the slimey feeling when you shower or wash your hands.

this was my absolute #1 reason why i didn't want one, that feeling of still being wet after drying off.

 

[GrumpAzz]

this was my absolute #1 reason why i didn't want one, that feeling of still being wet after drying off.

I've been told more than once that "that's how you know you're actually clean."

 

[Stoneyluv]

I've been told more than once that "that's how you know you're actually clean."

guess i've always been a dirty dawg anyway!!!!

.

do you have any idea roughly how much rainfall you have a year? rain collection is super easy and maintenance free. with your basement you have the advantage like i do, you get 1psi for every two foot of elevation. i have almost 7psi and coupled with a high quality drinking hose i can fill up my rez in a few minutes.

and you could still RO the rainwater if you wanted, your membranes would last longer versus tap water.

the only kink i have is i have to plan my water usage a tiny bit in the winter in case the water tote freezes solid, this is rare and an aquarium heater would solve this if you really needed, one keeps my chickens water bin thawed in the winter and they just get rain water from their own coop roof, i went Gilligan style and used a piece of bamboo for the rain gutter!!!!! just for whimsy!!

plus there's that negative carbon footprint pride feeling knowing you used zero energy to provide water to your plants!

 

[GrumpAzz]

guess i've always been a dirty dawg anyway!!!!

.

do you have any idea roughly how much rainfall you have a year? rain collection is super easy and maintenance free. with your basement you have the advantage like i do, you get 1psi for every two foot of elevation. i have almost 7psi and coupled with a high quality drinking hose i can fill up my rez in a few minutes.

Looks like we get 27" on average.

and you could still RO the rainwater if you wanted, your membranes would last longer versus tap water.

I got three grows out of my first filters and they were still putting out 0ppm water. That's almost long enough to forget where I bought them

the only kink i have is i have to plan my water usage a tiny bit in the winter in case the water tote freezes solid, this is rare and an aquarium heater would solve this if you really needed, one keeps my chickens water bin thawed in the winter and they just get rain water from their own coop roof, i went Gilligan style and used a piece of bamboo for the rain gutter!!!!! just for whimsy!!

A barrel would freeze solid here for sure. We regularly get a week long bout of negatives.

The bamboo gutter sounds awesome. I love getting creative my dog pens. They've got a nice spot reserved in the garage. Gonna be warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

plus there's that negative carbon footprint pride feeling knowing you used zero energy to provide water to your plants!

While I understand your point here, I have very little impact on the water here in comparison to the endless circles of irrigated corn. I don't just go wasting water but I'm not too worried about a little RO runoff.

 

[Stoneyluv]

Looks like we get 27" on average.

you get enough thats for sure, if you ever wanted to go that route.

got three grows out of my first filters and they were still putting out 0ppm water. That's almost long enough to forget where I bought them

aw yeah thats not even a factor...

A barrel would freeze solid here for sure. We regularly get a week long bout of negatives.

The bamboo gutter sounds awesome. I love getting creative my dog pens. They've got a nice spot reserved in the garage. Gonna be warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

i always thought i should cover it in black for the winter to try that, but i'm lazy and same silver tarp i put on seven years ago is still there... hit the corner of the tarp with the mower!! haha

i did that when we had a dog, i even put a cozy heating blanket with thermostat under her bed to lay on when i was out there working, she would just sprawl put on the cold cement floor instead!!! goofy animals!!!

 

[CannaGranny]

This is extremely odd. I’ve been running his genetics for the past seven years, I always have a fantastic germ rate. I have had same take awhile to pop up, but still.
I think you have the prob pretty well pinpointed.
Are you on well water now? If so how the hell did it get fluoride in it?

 

[GrumpAzz]

you get enough thats for sure, if you ever wanted to go that route.

Nice. I could see it happening eventually. Probably not this winter, but maybe a spring project.

This is extremely odd. I’ve been running his genetics for the past seven years, I always have a fantastic germ rate. I have had same take awhile to pop up, but still.
I think you have the prob pretty well pinpointed.
Are you on well water now? If so how the hell did it get fluoride in it?

Hopefully it's that first one.
And, I don't blame him at all. This was my bad.

 

[CannaGranny]

Nice. I could see it happening eventually. Probably not this winter, but maybe a spring project.


View attachment 78407
Hopefully it's that first one.
And, I don't blame him at all. This was my bad.

Oh no, I don’t think you’re blaming anyone. Just trying to figure it out.
I would guess it would be the type of rock in your area, as my well water tests show no fluoride.
I do use well water. I ph it down using apple cider vinegar. My ph fluctuates wildly after a big rain as the wells around here work on a karst system. My well is 487’ feet deep. It holds a steady 7.5, but, I have seen it as high as 9.2!

 

[GrumpAzz]

Oh no, I don’t think you’re blaming anyone. Just trying to figure it out.
I would guess it would be the type of rock in your area, as my well water tests show no fluoride.
I do use well water. I ph it down using apple cider vinegar. My ph fluctuates wildly after a big rain as the wells around here work on a karst system. My well is 487’ feet deep. It holds a steady 7.5, but, I have seen it as high as 9.2!

I'll have my meters set up soon enough and will be able to test the ph and ppm of the well water.

I think it has something to do with all the limestone around here.

I watered the seedlings with spring water last night. Sunday or Monday, I plan to get everything plumbed. Another day to fill the RO resevoir. So around Monday or Tuesday, if there's still only 3 sprouts, I'm tossing them and starting over.